Illinois teacher sexually assaults 11yo during ‘playdates,’ tells cops he was the one who made advances towards her

Warning: The article includes details.of child sexual abuse. Please proceed with care.

A substitute teacher in Illinois has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old student during what she called “playdates” at her home. Alley Bardfield, 34, admitted to predatory criminal sexual assault this past week and faces up to 40 years in prison for her crimes.

According to New York Pork, the case came to light when the victim’s mother discovered unusual payments on her son’s phone. She found $700 in CashApp transfers from Bardfield and noticed her son’s behavior had changed after staying overnight at the teacher’s house in Mount Zion. When the mother confronted her son, he revealed the abuse that had taken place.

During a police interview, Bardfield made shocking claims about the sexual encounters. She told officers that the child had made sexual advances toward her first on the night they had sex. The substitute teacher had invited the boy to what she called “playdates” at her home, where the abuse took place. This attempt to blame the victim has drawn strong criticism from authorities and the community.

Court hearing results in plea deal for former educator

Bardfield appeared in Macon County court on Thursday for a disposition hearing where she reached a partial plea deal with prosecutors. The state agreed to cap its recommended sentence at 40 years, down from the maximum 60 years that predatory criminal sexual assault typically carries. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 25. For comparison, a California elementary teacher received 30 years to life for similar crimes against students. 

The abuse took place between 2023 and 2024 while Bardfield worked as a substitute teacher at Hope Academy public school in Decatur. This case joins a disturbing pattern of similar teacher-student abuse cases emerging across the country involving educators who have violated their positions of trust. 

According to court documents, she invited the sixth-grade student to multiple “playdates” at her home throughout 2023 and twice more in March 2024. During these visits, two sexual encounters occurred between the adult teacher and the child.

Beyond the physical abuse, Bardfield also engaged in inappropriate digital contact with the victim. She exchanged messages and explicit photos with the boy through SnapChat over several months. The teacher also sent the child hundreds of dollars through CashApp during this period, raising questions about how she used money to maintain control over her victim.

Decatur Public Schools fired Bardfield in April of last year when the abuse came to light. The victim’s parents have filed a lawsuit related to the case, seeking justice for the trauma their son endured. The case highlights the importance of proper background checks and supervision of school staff who have access to children.

The guilty plea means Bardfield has admitted to the charges against her, avoiding a lengthy trial that could have been traumatic for the young victim. However, the exact sentence she will receive remains to be determined at her upcoming sentencing hearing in September.